Openly gay teacher fired after posting wedding pictures on social media

[Map_Linh]

MIAMI, FL (WCMH) — Some parents are speaking out after a popular first grade teacher was fired after she posted pictures of her same-sex wedding on social media.

 

Jocelyn Morffi taught first grade at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in Miami for seven years. Last weekend, she married her girlfriend and posted pictures of the ceremony to Facebook. On Thursday, Morffi was fired.

 

In a letter to parents, Principal Carlota Morales called it a “difficult and necessary†decision. Nearly a dozen parents who had children in Morffi’s class came to the school to protest her firing. The parents called her a “great teacher†and said they were aware that she is openly gay and that it made no difference.

 

“I’m upset,†parent Christina Lopez told WPLG. “The way they handled this was just unbelievable.â€

 

“What she does at home, that’s none of our concern,†said Ricardo Oviedo, another parent of a child in Morffi’s class. “The fact is, she maintained a high moral standard at school and was inscribing in our kids a sense of community and love.â€

 

Several parents said after meeting with the school administration, they still don’t have a satisfactory explanation for why Morffi was fired.

 

“You know, to be a Catholic, you’re taught to be forgiving. But if you’re gay, forget about it,†said parent Cynthia Cini. “But love is love.â€

 

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami told WPLG Morffi “broke the contract she signed when she began teaching at a Catholic school.†Her contract contained a moral turpitude clause.

 

Morffi’s attorney told WPLG they are considering the next legal steps they can take.

 

Morffi posted a brief statement to Facebook on Friday addressing the issue:

 

“This weekend, I married the love of my life and, unfortunately, I was terminated from my job as a result. In their eyes, I’m not the right kind of Catholic for my choice of partner. “

 

SOURCE: http://nbc4i.com/2018/02/10/openly-gay-teacher-fired-after-posting-wedding-pictures-on-social-media/

[cake mf]

That’s sad. I hope she gets a job at a place tha actually respects her.

[chuuing.]

That’s sad. I hope she gets a job at a place tha actually respects her.

[knick knack]

Even if they offer to take her back due to backlash, she should deny it and find a new school to teach at

[Owlsarecool15]

That is messed up!

[Solfa]

I'm glad the parents defended her, the only way this could have been worse was if they turned against that too. It's a good to know her termination wasn't caused by them, just the school itself that is backwards.

 

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami told WPLG Morffi “broke the contract she signed when she began teaching at a Catholic school.†Her contract contained a moral turpitude clause.

 

"Moral turpitude" is such a vague term, you can slip anything under it, and I checked, Florida law doesn't have laws for protection of LGBT in employment, despite 75% support for it, so it seems like the employer can do this. However, only "gross indecency" is apparently what falls under that "moral turpitude" clause that specifically against LGBT according to the Wiki, but only Michigan has those laws in the US, not Florida, and even Michigan has narrowed down the definition over time to mean "child molestation, public sex acts (of any orientation), indecent exposure". 

 

She can sue for this, she has a case, she has public support. 

[mochichan]

Moral clause lol....unless they specifically listed what that means, moral could include divorce or having babies put of wedlock so she could totally sue them if other workers there fit the category

[indigo]

I mean, this is extremely common. Private religious schools will fire straight people for "living in sin," women for getting pregnant out of wedlock, just being gay. 

 

It's messed up, but something so far they've been deemed as having the right to do for religious reasons. 

[jello-kitty88]

I really..   Mess.